Apparently, there is a chocolate bar out there that I am NOT allowed to eat!!! When I found out that there was no way I could get at this phenomenal piece of candy, I was outraged! Until I found out from the Chicago Tribune that this particular 12,000 pound chocolate bar was made to teach our children about portion control.

The company, World’s Finest Chocolate, is usually a company that does fundraising for schools but this time they went beyond that. This enormous piece of confectionary marvel is 21 feet long and 3 feet high. It took 1700 pounds of cocoa butter, just to give you one ingredient, to make this monster. But, it’s all for a good cause.

World’s Finest Chocolate is taking this bar on a tour called the “Think Big, Eat Smart Tour” to teach the nation’s children about limiting the amount of sweets they eat. Well, if they bring this baby to my kids’ school, I don’t know if I’ll be able to limit the amount of chocolate I’m going to eat!

• World’s Finest Chocolate Website

Everybody knows the name Hershey and everyone out there has probably had a Hershey bar. After all, they aren’t called the “Great American Chocolate Bar” for nothing ya know. Now they’ve come out with this new chocolate bar called Hershey’s Air Delight. It’s essentially a regular Hershey bar full of air holes which is sort of like the Nestle Aero bars or even the Bubble Chocolate.

I’ve had the Aero bars and they have air pockets more like a honeycomb. The air holes are large and very noticeable. I was never impressed by that feature, it really never added or took away from the flavor, and it just added a weird texture. The Hershey’s Air Delight has really tiny air holes – it looks a lot like the middle of the bar got kind of melted and smooshed. You have to look really really close to even see the tiny air pockets.

The texture is just a softer version of a Hershey Bar. The air holes don’t really add anything except to make it feel softer inside, almost like there should be some sort of filling in it, but there isn’t any filling. As far as taste, it takes just like a regular Hershey bar, just with that soft texture on the inside. It seems to be a new gimmick that Hershey is trying out in their bars and their Kisses too, like they’re trying to dip their feet in the water. I like Hershey’s chocolate and it always brings back childhood memories, but this Air Delight is nothing phenomenal. I’ll eat it if you give me one but I’d be fine with just a plain good old regular Hershey bar.

• Hershey’s Website
• Buy Hershey’s Candy Online

I’m just a HUGE chocolate and mint addict. I’m always on the lookout for something new that deals with chocolate mint and I will always try any candy that has that yummy combination no matter what. This time I found these Dark Chocolate (63% cocoa) Thin Mints from Haviland which is a sub-brand of Necco I found at my local CVS.

The first thing I noticed is that these are really thin mints. The photos on the box show something more along the lines of miniature York Peppermint patties with a thick mint center. That is not the case. The mint center is very thin and so is its dark chocolate coating. Luckily you get a lot of mints in the package which makes this a great deal for the money I paid.

These chocolate mints are actually very good. The flavors work in harmony together so that neither one overpowers the other. I’ve had some chocolate mints where there was way too much mint compared to the chocolate. Thin as these layers are, they work together extremely well. It’s a refreshing mint that’s complemented by the dark chocolate.

Another nice thing about these mints is that they are labeled “all natural” which can be misleading from time to time. Looking at the package the ingredient list is small and contains all the things I would hope to find in a product like this. These Haviland Mints were a pleasant surprise tucked away in the candy aisle at CVS. I love when I just pick something up for the heck of it and it ends up being really good.

• Necco Haviland Brand Website
• Buy Chocolate Mints Online

With a name like “Firecracker,” you would assume the marketing team just chose a word that sounded exciting to make you think their chocolate bar was also exciting. Turns out, Firecracker is the perfect way to describe this chocolate! No, there aren’t literal fireworks, but the closest thing you can get and still ingest it: popping candy. The bar also boasts dark chocolate, chipotle, and salt.

So imagine if you will: a smooth bar of dark chocolate. You bite into it and taste an above average chocolate flavor, and then you’re hit with the warming sensation of chipotle pepper (it’s not overwhelmingly spicy in this bar, but rather subtle). Your tongue next detects that this candy is slightly salty, and then *POP* goes the popping candy. The popping distracts you for several seconds, and then you remember there are other things for you to taste here. You will yourself to ignore the popping and focus on the salty chocolate flavor.

Mmm, it’s pretty good!

Verdict: This candy bar is definitely worth a try. It’s tasty, and highly entertaining. Definitely a good one to share with friends.

Pros: Lots going on, something for everyone, good amount of spiciness and salt, the entertainment of popping candy in your chocolate. Non-GMO ingredients.

Cons: These cost a bit less than $4, so they are high on the spendy scale. Depending on your personality type, there might be too much going on in one bar of chocolate.

• Buy Chuao Chocolatier’s Firecracker bar at Wal-Mart stores

I’m a huge fan of Lindt chocolates. I could eat Lindt chocolate all day long if I could. There used to be a Lindt outlet store near my home when I lived in Virginia and I used to stock up there once a month. So, I gladly “volunteered” to review these three Lindt chocolate bars that Candy Addict was sent. All three of these bars are made with 70% cocoa, which basically means that they are 70% dark chocolate and 30% other delectable ingredients.

70% Cocoa

This bar is the “plain” version in the bunch. In my opinion, this is probably one of Lindt’s best chocolate bars. I’m a dark chocolate fan, something I inherited from my Mother and luckily did not pass on to my kids (no sharing!). This bar has a nice smooth texture and just melts in your mouth. It’s not bitter like some dark chocolate bars. The 70% Cocoa chocolate bar is sweet and easy going. Even if you’re not a dark chocolate fan, I think you’ll enjoy this bar and appreciate its flavor.

70% Cocoa with Almond Brittle

I’ve had the Lindt Toffee bar before, the one with the Milk Chocolate and full of toffee bits so I figured this might be the dark chocolate version. The Almond Brittle is scattered throughout the bar and is not as prevalent as the toffee bits are in the other bar. The texture is smooth and you get the crunch of the almond brittle every now and then. The only downside (if there is a downside to any Lindt chocolate) is that the dark chocolate overwhelms this chocolate bar. The dark chocolate and the almond brittle almost work against each other rather than together. I would love there to be a lot more of the almond brittle mixed in with the chocolate so that there’s the joining of the flavors, each complementing the other. Instead you get the great flavor of the 70%, but with a little crunch.

70% Cocoa Nut Crunch

I really have the same opinion about this Nut Crunch bar as I do for the Almond Brittle bar. There are really not enough of the nuts (caramelized walnuts and hazelnuts) to even out the flavor. The nuts give a slight crunchiness to the bar but the dark chocolate flavor just takes control taste wise. As with the Almond Brittle bar, when I bite into this chocolate bar, all I taste it the dark chocolate with a little crunchiness. There needs to be more of the caramelized nuts added to tone down the 70% cocoa and so that the flavors complement each other.

As much as I love dark chocolate, I will just stick to the plain 70% Cocoa bar. The Almond Brittle and the Nut Crunch bars are honestly lacking in any other flavor other than the chocolate. The additions just add a small amount of crunch and truly no flavor. I was slightly disappointed, but still consider Lindt one of my favorite chocolate makers.

• Lindt’s Website
• Buy Lindt Chocolates Online

Candy Addict received this product as a sample from the manufacturer. No payment was received for this review and all opinions represent an unbiased view of the product.

As a woman, I just enjoy shoe shopping. What could possibly be better than that? How about shopping for chocolate shoes? I’m talking about solid chocolate edible shoes. Gayle Harte is a chocolate fashionista and artist. Besides creating cool animal shaped chocolates (like sharks and tigers), she has created a collection of chocolate shoes that would never last in my closet.

The shoes range in style and colors from golf shoes to a special Royal Wedding shoe made in honor of Kate & William’s wedding. Each shoe is solid chocolate and weighs between 4 ounces and 14.5 ounces. Most are 7 inches long and almost 6 inches tall. They are amazing little edible works of art. I know some people would say they’d never eat them because they’re so pretty. Not me, I’d eat one in a heartbeat.

• Gayle’s Chocolate Shoes

Skinny Cow ice cream has been around for a while and I think it’s pretty darn good so I was curious as to how their new line of candies would taste. The Skinny Cow candies are made by Nestle so I figure that I’d find some similarities in taste and quality to those Nestle candies I already like. The idea is that these are calorie-counted candies so that you know how much you are eating in one sitting.

Heavenly Crisp Bar: Milk Chocolate

The Heavenly Crisp Bar is a combination of crispy wafers and a chocolate crème covered in milk chocolate. It looks like a big Kit Kat Bar except that it’s a little crispier and the chocolate coating is much thinner than a Kit Kat. As far as taste goes, the milk chocolate is decent and the combination of the crisp wafers with the crème is pretty good. It’s a good chocolate candy but nothing really makes it stand out for me. Although, at 110 calories, it’s a pretty satisfying treat.

Dreamy Clusters

The Dreamy Clusters are a combination of crispy rice and caramel coated in milk chocolate. It’s basically like mixing a Nestle Crunch Bar with caramel. The caramel is thick and chewy and goes nice with the crisp texture of the rice. And of course, the chocolate rounds out the taste real well. You get about 4 crisps in each bag for 120 calories. For me, it’s just enough to get that craving taken care of.

If you’re watching your calories or are on Weight Watchers (they are Weight Watchers approved) then these are a pretty good way to satisfy your chocolate cravings and your sweet tooth. You get a decent amount of product for the amount of calories. However, as far as taste goes, these didn’t really stand out to me as anything different from what’s already on the market.

Editor’s note: I tried both also and thought both were very good, especially given the calorie count. I actually thought the Dreamy Clusters were delicious and would not have known they were low cal unless I was told (or read the label or saw they were called Skinny Cow).

• Skinny Cow Website

Candy Addict received this product as a sample from the manufacturer. No payment was received for this review and all opinions represent an unbiased view of the product.

Before biting into this candy, I did a little background checking on it. Palmer Candy Company, the mastermind behind the Twin Bing, has been around for over 130 years and the Twin Bing was concocted in 1973. They must be doing something right.

When I tear it open the cute package, the strong, delicious smell of peanut butter wafts out. Pulling out the twins, it’s two mounds that connect to form one “bar.” I’m not gonna lie… it looks a little gross. Growing up, my mom made cookies with oatmeal, peanut butter, and cocoa powder officially called “No Bake Cookies” — lovingly nicknamed “Cow Piles.”

The Twin Bing definitely has the cow pile look. Don’t get me wrong, we loved Mom’s Cow Piles. Gross-looking does not equal gross-tasting and that is exactly the case with the Twin Bings. It’s a rich, scrumptious candy and not at all what I expected. I was expecting something like a cherry cordial, of which I’m not extraordinarily fond. A Twin Bing is not like a cordial at all. It’s a chocolate and peanut-filled shell covering a creamy cherry filling.

I definitely tasted chocolate and peanut butter right away. I didn’t taste the cherry in the first bite, but once I got to it in the middle of the first twin, it was distinctly, bitingly cherry. The packaging claims it is a “nutty chocolaty cherry treat” and without a doubt it is.

It’s curious that the ingredients don’t actually include cherries, cherry extract, imitation cherry, or anything cherry-related. There was “natural and artificial flavors.” I guess that’s the cherry part. Whatever is making the cherry flavor, it works.

Would I buy Twin Bing again? Without a doubt. It was tasty and different, and I enjoyed it. In addition to the taste, I’d like to have some on hand for the novelty. Imagine serving these the mounds of gross-looking deliciousness as dessert to dinner guests.

• Palmer Candy Company

• Buy Twin Bing

Candy Addict received this product as a sample from the manufacturer. No payment was received for this review and all opinions represent an unbiased view of the product.

World Market is a store that sells a variety of imported goodies, from home decor to gifts and snacks. They also have a great candy section that includes imported candy as well as their own line of chocolate. A while back, we reviewed World Market house chocolate bars. Today, I picked up two of their house line of filled chocolate bars to try out: Coconut Milk Chocolate and Caramel and Sea Salt Milk Chocolate. Both of them sound good to me!

But how do they taste?

World Market Coconut Milk Chocolate

Packaging: Pretty, classy, gold and light green label
Smells like: Regular good-quality milk chocolate, barely a whiff of coconut
Boasts: Creamy coconut ganache filling

When I bite into it: Sweet and milky, smooth. Where’s the coconut?

Verdict: Nice milk chocolate, but overall this bar is nothing special. I wasn’t looking for coconut tanning oil flavor, but I did want more coconut than I got from this bar. Definitely not much coconut going on here. I wish there was a bit more “ganache” in the bar. I did get a small piece of coconut stuck in my mouth after the chocolate had melted away.

World Market Caramel & Sea Salt Milk Chocolate

Packaging: Pretty, classy, gold and brown label
Smells like: Regular good-quality milk chocolate, slightly sweet
Boasts: Caramel filling with a touch of sea salt

When I bite into it: Sweet and milky, smooth. The caramel is oozy, just like most other caramel-filled chocolate bars. Not much of a salty note, but it tastes good.

Verdict: Like the coconut in the previous bar, the salt is subtle, barely present. The caramel is much more a player in this chocolate bar. It’s rich, gooey, and good. Like a slightly upscale Caramello. There’s a sort of salty aftertaste, but it’s not very noticeable.

And the winner is:

The Caramel and Sea Salt bar is the definite winner. The coconut just didn’t have enough presence to impress the judges. And by “judges,” I mean me.

• World Market Candy

A few years ago, we reviewed Mo’s Bacon Bar – a milk chocolate bar filled with bacon. The verdict was that the bar was good, but that maybe the milk chocolate didn’t quite have what it takes to stand up to the applewood smoked bacon. Well, I found Mo’s Dark Bacon Bar at World Market, and I’m here to tell you what I think. Does the dark chocolate make the bacon sing?

Does bacon even sing?

Packaging: A photo-realistic piece of bacon on the front is what caught my eye and convinced me to buy this bar despite its $6.99 pricetag
Looks like: Regular dark chocolate bar with additives
Smells like: Good dark chocolate with a smoky, fatty, bacony smell. In a really good way
Boasts: 62% cacao, applewood smoked bacon, alderwood smoked salt

But how does it taste?

When I bite into it: Chocolate is the perfect texture and darkness. Not too dark, and very smooth. The bits of alderwood smoked salt crunch, and the flavor goes very well with this chocolate. Small pieces of bacon manage to be crispy, yet slightly chewy. Pretty close to the perfect texture of a regular piece of bacon. I feel like it’s quite a feat to get that perfect bacon texture inside a perfectly textured chocolate. In other words, win.

First impression: It’s good.

Second impression: It’s really good.

Sure, bacon’s a popular additive to sweets these days, but often the bacon is more of a novelty than an actual good decision. The bacon in Mo’s Dark Bacon Bar is definitely not just a novelty. The bacon and salt elevate the chocolate to something very special that is made very well. I have been eating this chocolate bar, with pleasure, since I first picked it up. One delicious square at a time.

This bar is definitely recommended for those who like a marriage of sweet and salty, and anyone who needs a little extra bacon in their lives.

Con: The only con is the price tag, but the candy is so good that I would say it’s a worthwhile indulgence for once in awhile.

• Mo’s Dark Chocolate Bacon Bar by Vosges Haut Chocolat
• Buy bacon candy online